Finance

The Regional Municipality’s budget determines the amount of money required to support each municipal service (fire, police, schools, infrastructure, etc.). The budget must be approved by Council and all anticipated expenditures must be accounted for.

On April 25, 2023, West Hants Regional Municipal Council approved the following budgets:

The Operating Budget covers the day-to-day spending on services such as waste management, protective services, park maintenance and programming. The Water Utility Operating Budgets cover the daily operations of the water utilities which provide safe drinking water to customers in the communities of Hantsport, Windsor, Three Mile Plains and Falmouth and is included in the Operating Budget.

The Capital Budget funds the Municipality’s infrastructure which supports service delivery related to sidewalks, water and wastewater infrastructure, roads, parks and more.

The Reserve Budget effectively supports municipal assets management planning. This allows the Municipality to save for future infrastructure development and unforeseen costs, to avoid debt and abide by legislative requirements.

The 2023/2024 overall Municipal Operating Budget is $31.1 million.  A summary can be found here.

Property taxes are based on the rate set by Council annually and applied to each property using the assessment provided to the municipality by Property Vaulation Services Corporation (PVSC). 

Our tax year runs from April 1 to March 31. Property tax bills are mailed out once a year at the end of July and payment is due in full by September 1. Interest is applied to outstanding balances at the end of each month. Click here for information on payment options. 

Water Utilities provide the Municipality with potable water and sanitary sewer services. These services are regulated by Nova Scotia Environment and must meet Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment quality standards. Water rates are approved by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) through the following Board Orders - West Hants Water Utility and Windsor Water Utility. The current rates for our water utilities can be found here. Sewer rates are approved by Council and can be found here.  

Water Utility bills are sent out to customers every three months (quarterly); in January, April, July and October. These invoices include base rate and consumption charges for both water and sewer. The base rates are based on a 90-day cycle and will vary slightly if the billing cycle is less or more than 90 days. The consumption charges are based upon the read received from your water meter.

Water Utility bills are due 30 days after the billing date. After 30 days, shut off notices are sent to those accounts which remain unpaid and interest will start accruing. If a utility bill is still not paid after 40 days from the billing date, a suspension of service (water shutoff) and a $50 charge may apply. How can you pay?  Click here to learn more. 

If you are a new resident to West Hants or are moving to a new location within the region please ensure that you complete a new West Hants Water Service Contract. There is a $ 100 deposit required when signing up a new water account which remains on your account along with a one-time $50 administration fee on your first billing.If you are moving or need your water services temporarily disconnected, please submit a Request to Cancel Water Service five (5) days in advance to allow for time to arrange the appointment.

Are you having trouble reading your bill? This  pdf sample water utility invoice (156 KB)  may help with understanding your bill and answering some of your questions.

Is your water bill higher than you expected? You could have a leak in your home. Check out this page for information on how to detect a leak in your home: Check for Leaks 

Wondering about the cost of filling a backyard pool with municipal water?  Click here for approximate costs.

Should you have any questions about your billing or if you have not received a utility bill please contact our Water Utility Clerk at 902-798-8391 ext.107 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Want to learn more about our treatment facilities? Check out these pages: Water Treatment: From Source to Tap & Wastewater Treatment